Episode 1 - The Beginning
Chapter 1 - The premise
Eight months ago, the silence between them had stretched too long. Raj had been sent away for a short work assignment--just a few weeks, he'd said. But days turned into weeks, and somewhere between meetings, long flights, and endless deadlines, he forgot. Not her, never her--but the little things. A message, a quick call, a check-in. Anu waited at first, then worried, and finally, her worry hardened into quiet anger.
Tonight, Ranjit stood alone in his hotel room, fresh from a long, hot shower. The steam clung to the mirror, and the towel around his waist was the only thing grounding him in the moment. Guilt clawed at him as he looked at his phone--her name glowing on the screen. He'd just tried calling. She had cut it.
Heart racing, Ranjit typed.
"Anu... I'm so sorry. I don't know how I let this happen."
Message sent.
"I missed you every day. Work just... swallowed me. But that's not an excuse."
Another message.
"Please call me. Let me explain. I hate this distance."
He stared at the screen, waiting. Hoping. Naked in vulnerability now, more than from the shower--realizing just how much silence could hurt.
Ranjit stood naked in the soft light of the hotel room, the towel long forgotten on the floor. His skin still glistened from the shower, drops of water running down the lines of his toned chest and sculpted abdomen. Every inch of him reflected the discipline of his daily workouts--tight arms, a narrow waist, strong legs--but right now, none of it mattered. In the mirror, he didn't see strength. He saw a man aching for connection.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, phone in hand, he typed again, his thumbs moving with a frantic, almost helpless rhythm.
"Anu... please. I know I hurt you. I never meant to disappear like that. I was drowning in work and didn't even see what I was doing to us."
"Please talk to me. Call me when you're free. Just give me a chance to explain. I can't stand this silence."
His chest rose and fell as he waited, emotions tightening his throat.
"I love you. God, I miss you. I feel lost without you. Please don't shut me out. I need you, Anu."